Unexpected
by Irish Rose1
Summary: [Hallmark Hall of Fame] The Magic of Ordinary Days. This story begins after the end of the movie. Ray and Livy Singleton finally get some news.
1. Unexpected

A/N: The Magic of Ordinary Days does not belong to me. It is the creation of Anne Howard Creel and the Hallmark Hall of Fame.

Prologue:

Olivia Dunne Singleton never really knew what happiness was until she met her husband Ray.

Their marriage began on the shakiest of foundations because until their wedding day they had never met. They married because she found herself in the family way and without a husband and her father made arrangements with a fellow minister to marry her to a young farmer in his rural community.

She felt at the time as though she'd been banished from Denver and her family, but truth to tell there wasn't much family left to be banished _from_. Her mother was gone and throughout her illness and increasingly after her death, Olivia's father shut her out. Her sister Abby was married and busy with a life of her own with her husband Kent. So Olivia was alone and lonely and that made her vulnerable.

And that vulnerability led her into the arms and the bed of one Lieutenant Edward Brown which was the catalyst to her life on a farm outside of Wilson, Colorado with the child that was a result of her vulnerability and the man she came to love.

She slowly learned through months of living with Ray how good and kind he was. When she went into labor on a cold and snowy afternoon early in December of 1944 she was alone with him and with Martha and steadfastly refused to let him leave her as she brought her baby into the world.

His soft voice and gentle touch as he brushed the damp hair off of her forehead as she labored into the night helped the deep affection she already felt for him grow into an abiding love. His voice remained calm as the pain worsened and while Martha told her what to do Ray's steadiness kept her from crying out.

She wanted to name the baby for Ray and Martha's brother even though she wasn't sure if they would want it. He _had_ told her that he loved her baby but the fact of the matter was, as much as she wanted it now he wasn't Ray's. But when both he _and _Martha gratefully accepted her offer she knew she had chosen the right name, Daniel Raymond Singleton.

After Danny's birth Ray seemed anxious to begin their marriage anew, as the newlyweds they didn't have the chance to be. But the doctor told them they would have to wait until she recovered. So he took that time to court her and she began to find out the sort of husband his father was to his mother.

He finally convinced her to let Martha teach her how to cook only because Livy Singleton didn't want to get a reputation as the pitiful cook Ray teased her about. He would often take Danny with him when he had chores to do around the farm so she could explore without worrying about his safety. He brought wildflowers he'd gathered from around the farm and put them in a vase for her. He shared too, the duties of being a parent fully and helped Livy with Danny in any way that he could.

She settled into the life she never thought she could when she first came and became a part of the community in a way she hadn't allowed herself to before. In time she became Ray's wife in every sense of the word and contentment with her life deepened further.

The warm spring months gave way to the hot summer and nearly a year to the day that Livy married Ray she knew that she was going to have another baby; it wouldn't take a visit to Dr. McCutcheon's office to tell her that. Just to be sure though, she phoned his office to make an appointment because she wanted to be absolutely sure when she gave Ray the news.

She was able to schedule her appointment at the same time that Danny would get his monthly checkup so her husband wouldn't worry that something might be wrong. Her son as she expected was sound as a dollar as the doctor liked to say and after he examined her, she took a pregnancy test. Unfortunately, it was going to be a couple of days before he could tell her anything but reassured her he would put a rush on it and try to get the results sooner. He promised to call her as soon as he knew something and told her to relax.

"I've never seen a woman so anxious about a second baby." He smiled at her. "I know it's probably sooner than you and your husband planned on but you're in fine health and completely recovered from having your son."

She couldn't exactly tell him that she was anxious because this could be her and Ray's first child together and didn't want it to be a false alarm.

"Go home and relax Mrs. Singleton. As soon as I know anything my nurse will call you."

She nodded as he left the examining room and then she proceeded to get dressed. She picked up Danny and walked out the waiting room where Ray said he'd meet them after he was finished at the library. It was the first place he went when they got into town so he could return a book he'd borrowed and check out a new one, sometimes two.

"How's our little guy doing?" He smiled at her and ruffled the baby's hair.

She smiled back and couldn't help but fall in love with him all over again. "He's fine."

"How about you? I know you haven't been feeling well lately and you're not sleeping well either."

"I talked to the doctor about that so he examined me just to make sure that everything was all right." She was stretching the truth and didn't like it. "He didn't seem worried so he told me not to worry."

"Did he say what he thought it might be?"

She heard the concern in his voice and leaned up to kiss his cheek. "He said he'd call in a couple of days and maybe sooner to talk to me."

"Livy."

"Ray, he'll call us when he knows something. So take your son and let's go home." She cut off any further conversation as she handed Danny to him and walked out of the office.

He knew she was keeping something from him as they talked all the way back to the farm, of that she had no doubt and she hoped he would understand if the news she was holding back was good.

When he pulled the truck up to the front of the house there was a military car parked there and Livy wondered why they would be getting a visit. Abby's husband Kent was the only family that was overseas but if something happened to him _she_ would be getting this visit, not her.

"What's this?" Ray said out loud to himself as he brought the truck to a stop. She waited while he got out and came around to the passenger side. He opened the door and took Danny off of her lap before he offered his hand and helped her out of the truck.

She saw that an Air Corps officer was standing at the front door as they approached and when he turned around Livy got the shock of her life.


	2. Lieutenant Edward Brown

July 1945

Livy's flight instructor stood on their porch as bold as you please and Ray didn't like him.

He wasn't the kind of man that passed judgment on another man without giving him a fair shake, but if it weren't for him Livy wouldn't have been put in the situation she ended up in. To be fair though, if it weren't for the Lieutenant, Ray Singleton wouldn't have her or Danny in his life.

"How did you know where I was?" Livy's face was turning an ashen gray and Ray thought that she was going to cry.

"From your letters. I found the post office and asked around and they told me that you lived out here with your _husband_." He said it in a way that Ray thought he believed it wasn't true.

"But why?" She pressed him as she moved closer to Ray. He put a protective arm around her waist and pulled her near.

"I saw your sister when I was on furlough in Denver. She told me that you'd had the baby and that you were still in that godforsaken place, as she put it." He looked around and then laughed. "How can you stand it out in the middle of nowhere?"

"There's a lot more to this place than meets the eye." Ray told him. "You just have to know where to look."

"I'm looking Farmer Fred and I don't see a damn thing." He shook his head and Ray could feel his normal reserve of calm begin to ebb. It was one thing to intrude on Livy's life, but to insult his life and his livelihood was going too far.

"Edward, I've already told you that his name is Ray and I wish you would remember that."

"Sorry, Livy." He apologized with a smirk and Ray really wanted to wipe it off of his face. "So is this the kid you told me about? The one that you tried to blame me for?"

"I never should have sent you those letters; it wasn't right." She sighed and leaned into him.

"Lieutenant, why are you here?" He asked and wanted nothing more than to have that smug fly boy off of his land. "What could be so important that you need to come here and upset my wife?"

"He kind of looks like me doesn't he?" He asked as he looked at the baby in Ray's arms.

"I think he looks like his mama." Ray held Danny close as the baby began to fuss. "If you'll excuse us, it's time to put my son down for his nap."

"We're not done with this Olivia. He's my son and I have the right to see him."

"Would you be here if he had a girl, insisting to see _her_?" Ray couldn't help but ask and hoped that he and Livy would have a girl when the time came.

"We're not done." The Lieutenant ignored him and stepped off the porch. Without another word he walked to his car and got in. The engine came to life and in a cloud of dust the car gunned down the dirt road.

"Ray."

He heard the panic in her voice and ran a comforting hand across her shoulders. "He doesn't know anything Livy. He just thinks he does."

"Abby must have told him." She said and then she did begin to cry.

He held her close as she buried her face in his shoulder and he spoke softly to her. "Abby doesn't strike me as the type of woman who would do that."

"If it got me away from here she would." Her voice was muffled. "She thinks I deserve better."

"You don't know that."

"I know her better than you do and if she thought it what was best for me, she'd tell him." Livy disagreed before she pulled away from him and rushed up the stairs to the porch and into the house.

"Livy." He followed her inside and saw her round the staircase as she ran up the stairs. "Livy." He called again as he headed up after her and found her in their room. She was curled up on her side of the bed and at first he couldn't tell if she were crying.

"What are we going to do?" She sighed and Ray thought she sounded tired. He already knew that she wasn't sleeping well and this certainly wasn't going to help. He sat down on his side of the bed with Danny in his lap and ran a gentle hand over the baby's head.

"We're going to protect Danny is what we're going to do. He denied you when you told him you were going to have a baby and your father sent you away because of it. But you're my wife and Danny's my son and no one is going to change any of that."

She rolled over and looked as tired as she sounded. "But that's just it. As much as we both want him to be yours he isn't."

His heart tightened in his chest and he felt tears pool in the back of his eyes. "He _is_ mine Livy. I may not have had a hand in creating him, but I've been with the both of you from the beginning. I watched you carry him for over five months and I was with you in this room the afternoon he was born. My sister helped you bring him into the world and while he may not have my blood he does have my heart and the hearts of my family. We named him for my brother and in my mind that makes him a Singleton."

"Ray, I'm sorry that I wrote to him. I knew it was wrong but I couldn't seem to help myself."

"You believed that you were in love with him and I understood that when we were married. Now I'm not saying that I was happy when I found that letter he wrote to you but you were lonely and homesick. The truth is when I saw that letter in our mailbox I got scared because I thought for sure I was going to lose you before you really gave me a chance."

"It was because of that letter that you kissed me." And for the first time since Lieutenant Brown showed up Livy smiled.

He smiled back. "I kissed you because it was something I'd wanted to do since the night that we stood at the bottom of the stairs and you were so beautiful."

"I was so afraid at the time that you would because if you did, I might not have let you go. And I wasn't ready for that yet." Her smile grew wider.

"Well hang on tight to me Livy because I promise that I'll take care of you and Danny."

"I do love you Ray and I know how much you love Danny." She said to him as she rolled on to her back and pushed herself up before she sat against the bedstead. He handed the baby to her and she kissed the top of his head.

"I love you too Livy. I still believe that it was God's Will that brought you here and I won't believe that He brought you and Danny to me just to take you away. He knew that I could take care of you and provide for you. So let's not worry about this any more because there isn't anything we can do about it right now."

He took Danny out of her arms and walked with him to the cradle. Livy uncovered it in the basement before he was born and she sanded and refinished it so that Danny would have a place to sleep. Ray put him down and he dropped off in short order.

"You're such a good father." Livy commented with a sigh as he walked back to the bed and sat down next to her.

"How am I doing as a husband?" He smiled as he put his arms around her.

"You're the kind of husband to me that your father was to your mother." She smiled as he leaned over and kissed her.

"That's all a man can ask for I guess." He answered as he drew her into his arms and showed her how much she meant to him.


	3. The Family That Prays Together

"It seems the last time we sat together like this it was about that Lieutenant."

Martha sighed as Livy folded and unfolded her hands in her lap. She sat across from her sister-in-law in the parlor of the older woman's home and tried not to cry. "The last thing I ever expected was for him to show up here. When I told him about the baby he denied that it was his and I was sure that was the end of it."

"I remember."

She felt the tears start to roll down her cheeks as she castigated herself, not for the first time about writing to Edward. "If I could do this over, I never would have written to him."

"Livy, you can't change what's already been done." Martha's voice was gentle as she reached over and took one of her trembling hands and held it firmly. "You did what you thought you needed to do at the time because you didn't know Ray. But the plain fact is he's here and unless you can face this head on, he's never really going to go away."

Livy nodded. "I know and that's what I'm afraid of."

"What concerns me is that the kids might start to ask questions about who he is and what he's doing here. Hank and I never told them about how Danny came to be of course and it would be a real big disappointment to them to find out that he isn't their cousin."

"Ray has been so wonderful about this and he has a confidence I don't." She reached for a handkerchief from her handbag and dabbed at her nose.

"That's because he loves you and Danny and he'll do whatever is within his power to do to get you through this." Martha sounded just as confident as her brother.

"How can you be so sure? I know that Ray loves me because I love him too and he's accepted my baby as his own. But I also know that he would never lie about Danny, even if it meant that he could get Edward to go away and leave us alone."

Martha nodded and stroked her hand. It was a gesture of comfort from the woman who welcomed her so openly because Livy had come into her brother's solitary life. "The one thing you'll learn the longer that you live with Ray is that he doesn't do anything in half measure. He'll do what he has to, to protect the people that he loves and he'll make it right with the Lord if it comes to that."

"Are you saying that Ray would lie about Danny?" It was too fantastic for Livy to imagine.

"That's what I'm saying. And because Reverend Case knows the circumstances that brought you here I don't know that he would disagree with it." She added.

"I just can't imagine that he would deliberately lie, about anything."

"It's not something he would ever make a habit of because it isn't in his nature, but in this one instance I do believe he could."

Livy sighed and dried her eyes again before she looked at Martha. "There's something else that makes this so hard."

"What is it?" She looked a little wary and Livy guessed that she was expecting more bad news.

"It's a little ironic that Edward came when he did because I was at the doctor this very morning. It was Danny's monthly check-up and I scheduled an appointment for myself since we were there."

Martha's questioning look prompted her to continue.

"I haven't been feeling well recently and I hadn't been sleeping very soundly either. I couldn't remember feeling this way when I came here last year and I wanted to make sure everything was all right. The truth is I think I might be pregnant and I wanted to be sure before I told Ray." She ended her explanation with a watery smile.

"A baby." Martha smiled back and it looked as though _she_ was going to cry. "Ray's going to be a father." And the moment the words came out a look of embarrassment crossed her face.

Livy reached over and grabbed her hand. "I know what you meant. I should know something for sure in another day or two and then I'll be able to tell him. If it's true and we _are_ going to have a baby it will be so different for us this time because this baby will be _ours_."

"I'll say a prayer for you before I go to bed tonight. And if it's God's Will that you and Ray have a child of your own I have no doubt that the doctor will give you good news."

"I hope so." She replied as Ray and Hank walked into the house, effectively cutting off their conversation. They both stood up and met the men in the dining room. Ray must have seen her red rimmed eyes because Livy saw a frown of concern furrow his brow.

"Is everything all right?"

"Nothing that a good night's rest won't take care of." Martha informed her younger brother. "Ray you take her home now and get her to bed because the heat seems to be getting to her. If it's all right with the two of you I would love to have Danny stay with us for the night. He's all ready asleep upstairs and it would give you the chance to get some rest without having to get up with him."

Livy hadn't had much time alone with Ray since Danny was born and Martha was giving them an opportunity. The baby usually stayed with his aunt and uncle while his parents went into town but he had never been left overnight and Livy wasn't sure if she was ready to let him.

"We won't have to worry about him because he'll be with Martha and Hank." Ray offered hesitantly.

"We sure would like it if you and Ray would let him stay with us." Hank told them. "I know that Martha likes having a baby around the house and the kids love playing with him."

She looked at Ray and shrugged. "If you don't mind leaving him, I don't either."

"Let's say goodnight to him then so I can get you home." He smiled at her as they went up stairs and found Danny asleep in a cradle in Martha and Hank's room. He was such a good baby and Livy couldn't believe that he was hers. And if everything went the way she wanted it to, he would have a baby brother or sister early in the next year.

She ran a light hand over his downy head and leaned over to kiss his soft cheek. "Goodnight Danny and sweet dreams."

"Goodnight Danny. We'll see you in the morning." Ray's voice was gentle as he stroked the baby's head before he took Livy's hand and walked her out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Are you sure about this?" He asked as they went downstairs.

"I'm sure that Martha and Hank will enjoy having him here." She answered.

"That's not what I asked Livy." He said to her.

"I know that and I think letting Danny stay here will give us the chance to get some rest. And with Martha and Hank looking after him I'll sleep that much better."

"All right then, let's get home." He smiled at her as his sister and brother-in-law walked them to the door.

"Don't worry about a thing, Danny will be fine." Martha reassured them. "Hank and I have been through this a few times so we know what to do."

"Thank you." Livy hugged her and the firm embrace she got in return told her that Martha understood that her sentiment was about much more than them taking her son for the night.

"Just get a good night's sleep that will be thanks enough." She answered before she let Livy go.

Ray got her settled in the truck before he walked around the driver's side and got in. Martha and Hank waved from their porch as he started the engine and pulled away. Livy slid over on the seat so that she could be closer to Ray and put her head on his shoulder.

"You and Martha seemed to be having a serious talk." He mentioned as he kept his eyes on the dusty road ahead of them.

She nodded. "I told her what's happened so she wouldn't hear it from any of the well-meaning ladies at church. She would have been awfully hurt if she hadn't heard it from me first."

"That flyboy has made quite a stir in town. It seems that he's asking a lot of questions too."

"I'm sorry." She sighed and snuggled closer to him.

"I know you are. But I promised you that we would figure this out and we will." He told her as he took a hand off of the steering wheel long enough to grasp her hand and squeeze it.

She wanted to believe him, she really did.


	4. Father's Day

Two days after Lieutenant Brown showed up, he returned to talk to Livy and Ray wasn't there. He took Danny with him that morning while he drove to the far end of the property to see to a fence that was in need of repair. He wanted her to sleep in and knew the only way she would be able to do that was if he had the baby with him. When he returned for lunch, she was at the kitchen table in tears.

He took Danny upstairs and put him down for a nap before he headed back down to the kitchen to find out what had upset her so much.

Her forehead rested on her hands as her shoulders shook from the crying. He pulled out a chair to sit down next to her and ran a comforting hand across her shoulders. "Livy, what is it?"

Her shoulders continued to shake and her voice was barely audible. "Edward was here and he wants Danny to have a blood test. He said he wants to see if their blood types match."

Ray sighed and began to fully realize that the Lieutenant wasn't going to give up without a fight, but neither was he. "_I'm_ his father Livy as far as the law is concerned and it can't happen without my consent." And he paused for a moment because what he was thinking could come back to haunt them both. "But if it turns out that Danny has _your_ blood type and not his, he can't prove anything."

"Are you actually suggesting that we do this? What if it turns out that Danny does have his blood type?" She sat up and looked at him with swollen red eyes; she looked so pitiful.

"If he wants to prove who Danny's father is, they'll have to take my blood too. And if the Lieutenant and I have the same blood type, the result is still the same."

She sighed as he pulled a handkerchief out of his back pocket and handed it to her. "But if your blood type is different than his than he'll know that he's Danny's father." She dabbed at her eyes and sighed again.

"Let's cross one bridge at a time, all right?"

"Ray if we do this and he and Danny have the same blood type that's different from yours everyone will know that Danny isn't yours." She reasoned.

"When you first came here I told you that I didn't care what people think and I still don't. But if it comes out that Danny isn't my son, they'll learn _why_ you came here and why we got married. People here won't think too kindly of a man who took advantage of someone who was lonely, got her in the family way and then wouldn't take responsibility. Livy, folks around here know how much you love me and how happy we are. You've become a part of us and they know that too."

"I don't want Danny to know anyone else but _you_ as his father. And if it turns out that a blood test _proves_ that Danny is his, it will be too confusing when he gets older."

"Another bridge Liv, we'll cross it if we need to." He took the damp handkerchief out of her trembling hands and dried her eyes. "You sure look a sight." He smiled at her and helped her to her feet. "Why don't you go splash some cold water on your face and check on Danny? I'll throw something together for lunch."

"Ray." She protested but he gave her a gentle nudge toward the door and watched her as she headed up the stairs.

His parents raised Martha, Danny and him never to curse but if he did there were a few choice words that he would have for the Lieutenant. He would never say them out loud of course and tried not to let them even form in his mind but what this stranger was doing was hurting the one woman that he loved most in the world. _He_ knew her better than Brown did because they'd lived together for the last year and brought a baby into the world. The Lieutenant may have been with Livy first, but the first time she was with _him _it wasn't because of loneliness it was because she loved him. And that was something Ray had that Brown didn't, Livy's heart.

He kept lunch simple because Livy hadn't had much of an appetite lately and Brown sure wasn't helping the situation. Sandwiches and potato salad were on the table and Ray was about to go to the foot of the stairs when the telephone rang and he listened to the rings to hear who the call was for before he picked up the receiver. He had to keep reminding himself, ring, ring, ring was their signal.

__

Ring, Ring, Ring.

He walked out to the hallway and picked up the receiver. "Hello?"

"Good Afternoon, this is Dr. McCutcheon's office. Is Mrs. Singleton available?" A cheerful voice asked on the other end of the line.

"Yes she is. Just a moment and I'll get her for you." He frowned as he put the receiver down on the table and went upstairs. He found Livy in their room and she was standing next to Danny's cradle, watching him sleep.

He cleared his throat to let her know he was there. "Liv, someone's calling from the doctor's office and they'd like to speak to you."

Her spine went ramrod straight and she spun around, her face pink with a flush. Without a word to him she ran out of the room and he heard her take the stairs at a good clip. He frowned again and began to worry that something was wrong with their son or with her.

He checked to make sure that Danny was still asleep before he followed his wife down the stairs. When he reached her she had a smile on her face and had started to cry again. But these tears were happy tears and he couldn't figure out what it could mean, at first.

__

Could it be?

"Thank you so much." He heard her say and she hung up the receiver before she launched herself into his arms and kissed him.

He was surprised at her boldness but pleased beyond measure. As he took her arms from around his neck and set her back enough so that he could see her face, he smiled. "That was real nice, what's the occasion?" He joked.

The shade of pink in her cheeks deepened into rose and her eyes seemed to sparkle. "The occasion is that you're going to be a father."

"Liv, I'm already." And before he could complete the sentence the gravity of what she'd just revealed hit him like a broadside. "A father." He finished and a feeling came over him that he couldn't describe. He and Olivia had created a life together and they'd done it out of their love for each other, not out of her loneliness with a near stranger.

"Yes you are and you're going to be again." The tears ran freely down her cheeks and she started to laugh. "Ray, we're going to have a baby all of our own."

He didn't know how to tell her what it was he was feeling so he knew the best way to do that was to show her. He caught her around the waist and lifted her off her feet as he hugged her. "Livy, a baby."

When he set her back on her feet she held on to him and her smile told him how happy she was. "Now we know why I haven't been feeling very well lately."

"It wasn't like this the last time." He said needlessly because Livy already knew that.

She nodded. "That's why it never occurred to me that it could possibly be a baby, but it makes so much sense now."

"How?" He wasn't following her train of thought.

"As much as we love Danny and as happy as we are to have him, he wasn't created in love or in marriage for that matter. But this little one here." And he watched as she laid a hand on her still flat abdomen. "Was created out of our love and because our marriage. I'm beginning to think that it really _was_ God's Will that brought me here because if I hadn't made the mistake of being with Edward I wouldn't have ended up here with you."

He smiled. "And you didn't believe me when I told you that the first night you were here."

"That's because I didn't believe it, but I think I can now."

"I'd like to have a girl, especially if she looks like her mama." He kissed her cheek and held her close.

"I'd like to give you a son." She answered honestly.

"You already have Liv. Even with this one coming, I'll never feel any different about Danny."

"We're so lucky to have you." She replied.

"And I'm lucky to have you."


	5. Blood Relations

She was adamant that Danny not be tested in Wilson.

It was bad enough that Edward was demanding a blood test and she was so afraid that Ray's gamble to get him out of their lives would backfire if the test showed that her son's blood type matched Edward's. But they didn't have time to travel because his furlough was over. He would be taking the train from La Hunta in the morning to catch his connecting train in Denver and head back to the Naval Air Station in Corpus Christi.

Since they couldn't go anywhere else their only choice was Doctor McCutcheon. He was a fine doctor and Olivia liked him from her first appointment with him, but the fewer people that knew about Danny's real parentage the better she would like it.

She and Ray sat in his office the morning before Edward was scheduled to leave for Denver and Livy couldn't find the words to explain to him about her son who sat in Ray's lap, so he did the talking for her. He told the doctor as succinctly as he could what brought his wife to Wilson and the doctor didn't seem to be phased.

"That would explain why you were so unhappy when you came to see me the first time." He replied. "And now this young man wants to try and put a claim on the boy."

"Yes sir and that's why we need to have the blood tests done." Ray nodded. "We're hoping that Danny will have Livy's blood type and not his and that will get him to leave us in peace."

"You do realize that this could go in his favor." He told them both something they already knew.

Ray nodded again. "We've talked all of that through and it's something we'll face if we have to. But as far as I'm concerned Danny is mine and nothing will ever change that."

"He's a very lucky baby to have someone who loves him so much. As far as this lieutenant is concerned my nurse has been in touch with him. He'll be in early this afternoon and will be leaving town as soon as his blood has been drawn. But since the three of you are already here I'll go ahead and take samples from you so you won't have to come back."

"Thanks Doc, we appreciate that."

He stood up and smiled at them. "I usually have my nurse do this and I trust her discretion in matters such as these, but the fewer people involved in this the better."

"Thank you." Livy finally managed to find her voice. "Thank you for your consideration."

"I can't imagine that this was easy for you Olivia, coming to a strange place to live among strangers. But it turned out to be something very good for you in the end because you became a part of our small community. And whatever I can do to keep from upsetting the balance of things, I will. Now let's take care of little Danny first."

It only took a few minutes for all three and the doctor was done.

Livy held Danny in her arms as she tried to sooth him. Doctor McCutcheon was a gentle as he could be, but a needle stick was a needle stick and he let his parents and his doctor know in no uncertain terms that it hurt.

"Let me take him Liv." Ray reached for him and quietly began to sing the one song that always lulled Danny to sleep. Sure enough, in no time flat he stopped crying and a peek over Ray's shoulder let her know that their son was fast asleep.

"I hope that works with this one here." She smiled as she lay her hand over the spot where the baby was growing.

"There's only one way to find out Olivia and that won't be for another seven months." Doctor McCutcheon reminded her. "But you're both healthy and you'll have him or her before the heat sets in next summer."

"Thank goodness." She sighed in relief.

"I think it's time to get him home." Ray suggested to her. "It's been quite a morning for all of us and I'm ready for some lunch."

She liked that idea and nodded her agreement.

"It's going to take a few days to process these samples but as soon as I have the results I'll call you." The doctor told them as he escorted them to his office door.

"How will Edward know?" Livy wanted to know.

"I'll send him the notification of the results after I've had the chance to talk to the both of you." He explained. "What happens after that is up to all of you of course. But I can't help but hope that this goes the way you want it to and that you can continue your lives here without any further unpleasantness."

"So do I." She sighed and wanted nothing more than to go home with her husband and her son.

"I don't say this lightly Olivia, but try not to worry too much. There isn't anything that can be done until the results of the tests come in and you have a baby coming that will be depending on you. The calmer you remain, the better it is for him or her."

"Don't worry about her doc, I'll make sure she does what she has to." He assured the older man.

"And so will Martha." Livy smiled and it was the first time she'd felt like it since Edward showed up so unexpectedly.

"Ah yes, Martha. She won't brook any nonsense that's for certain. As soon as I know anything I'll call you." He smiled back as he opened the door.

"Thank you again Doctor."

"You just take care of yourself Olivia, that's all I ask." He put a fatherly arm around her shoulder for a moment and then let her go. "Remember to get as much rest as you need, you're looking after someone else now."

"She will." Ray assured him again as they left his office and walked outside.

When they reached the truck he opened the door and waited for Livy to sit down before he handed Danny to her and she settled the baby on her lap. She sat and waited for him to get in on the driver's side and put the key in the ignition. "We really should tell Martha what's happened."

He turned the key and the engine turned over. "We can stop at her place on the way home and tell her if you like."

"I think we should." She said and he nodded.

The trip to his sister's was quiet because it seemed as though everything had been said and there wasn't anything that could be done until the test results came back. She looked out her window and watched the empty fields while they rolled by. As they headed toward Martha's she suddenly felt her hand in Ray's. He didn't say anything but gave it a firm squeeze before he let it go and put his hand back on the steering wheel.

His reassuring touch did more than words could have done for her and she was grateful for his quiet strength.

It was in God's Hands now, as Ray would say and Livy had to believe that the Good Lord knew what he was doing.


	6. Waiting

It was the longest wait of Ray's life.

So much was riding on the outcome of the blood tests and he'd asked God more than once to let it go his and Livy's way. She was nervous and anxious and he knew that it couldn't be good for their baby.

Martha did what she could as she helped the younger woman decide what to do with the spare bedrooms upstairs. Ray and Livy had talked about it a lot and he knew that it was well past time to bring his parent's house back to life.

She'd already begun the process when she replanted his mother's garden.

She didn't want to change anything because it was his parent's house, but he countered with the argument that it was now _their_ house and she could do what she wanted. After all, his parent's didn't have a telephone when Livy came and now _they_ did. But he learned in the months of living together that it was important to her to keep the spirit of his parents there. Not just for him, but for her as well.

So they compromised.

While she enthusiastically agreed to fresh paint, she was adamant that the colors would not change and the wallpaper would be freshened up with a cleaning solution her mother taught her to make when she was young. Mama always took pride in how their home looked and as much as her father tried to persuade her to hire a housekeeper, her mother would have none of it.

She also wanted to re-paint and re-stain as much of the old furniture as she could but that was where Ray drew the line. He didn't want her around paint and stain fumes while she was expecting and she relented because there would be time after the baby came.

The question was, would this new baby that he and Livy created together know Danny as an older brother that they had also created together or would he or she grow up knowing that Danny had a father that wasn't Ray?

Doctor McCutcheon finally called to tell them that he had an answer. He wouldn't discuss it over the telephone of course, the party line and all, but he wanted Ray and Livy in his office to give them the news.

Ray suggested leaving Danny with Martha while they went into Wilson but she wanted the baby with them when they learned their fate. So he helped her into the truck ten minutes later and they made the drive to town in silence.

He parked in front of the doctor's office about twenty minutes later and rolled down his sleeves before he got out of the truck. He walked around to open the door for Olivia and when he did, tears were rolling down her cheeks. He pulled Danny gently out of her arms before he took her hand and squeezed it. "Don't expect the worst Livy."

"How can you be so calm?" Her look was incredulous.

"I have to be because you need me to be." His answer to her was simple and he helped her out of the truck then kissed her cheek. "Let's get this over with."

Ray grasped her hand firmly in his and felt it tremble as they walked into Doctor McCutcheon's office. It was practically deserted as he walked to the reception desk to let the nurse know that they were there.

"The doctor is waiting to talk to you and your wife Mr. Singleton." She stood up and walked away from the desk. A moment later she opened the door to the waiting room. "Please come with me."

Livy had joined him and he took her free hand for a moment and squeezed it. "Remember; don't expect the worst." He said softly as they followed the nurse to the doctor's office. She knocked on the door and opened it.

"Doctor, the Singleton's are here."

"Thank you Maggie; show them in please." Ray heard the calm tone of the doctor's voice and for some reason that he couldn't explain, was reassured. She stepped aside as Ray waited for Livy and walked in behind her. The door was closed behind him and the doctor was standing behind his desk. "I'm glad you could get here so quickly. Please sit down."

Livy glanced at him and he took Danny from her as she sat down. He sat down next to her and settled the baby in his lap before he reached over and took a trembling hand in his and waited for the verdict.

"I know you're both anxious to hear what the blood tests have to say so I won't keep you in suspense." He told them as he sat down and then opened a file folder. He glanced over the sheaves of papers inside and smiled. "As far as the results are concerned the two of you are Danny's parents."

Livy looked stunned as she glanced at Ray and then looked at the doctor. "How is that possible?"

"It's very simple; Danny has _your_ blood type and interestingly enough you and Ray are also a match. So as I said, as far as the tests are concerned the lieutenant is not his father."

Ray sat in silence and tried to comprehend the incredible gift that he and Olivia had been given. Danny was theirs and the blood tests backed that up. Brown didn't have a claim on his son and now he would have to leave them alone.

"I'll be sending notification to the lieutenant of the results and that will be the end of it." He finished.

"I just can't believe it." Her voice was just above a whisper and she looked at him.

"Believe it Olivia." The doctor reassured her. "I ran the test's twice to be sure and the results were the same; there is no match between the lieutenant and your son. So for all intent and purposes Ray is Danny's real father."

"Thank you doctor." Ray tried to hold back a smile that was fighting to break across his face. But he needed to be serious about it because God had just given him something profound and he had to treat it with the reverence it deserved.

Doctor McCutcheon stood up and he seemed to have no qualms about smiling over the situation. "Believe me Ray, it's my pleasure to be able to give you this news."

He stood up and held the baby close, _his_ baby. Not of his flesh, but his baby nonetheless and soon to be a big brother to a child that was.

Livy stood up next to him and he held out his hand to her. When she took it the look on her face was one of relief and happiness. Brown had turned their lives upside down out of his own selfishness and threatened to rend his family apart, but his plan failed and Ray felt all the more blessed. "If it's all right with you I told Martha we'd stop by on our way home and give her and Hank the news."

"It's fine with me Ray, it's only fair that she know as soon as possible." Livy nodded her agreement.

"Well Olivia, now that we have this matter settled I'll be expecting you back in a few weeks for your next check up for your monthly check-up." The doctor told her as he walked to the door of his office. He opened it then and looked at Ray. "Take your family home, son. You've been through a lot in the last few days."

"I don't know what to say."

He smiled as he opened the door for them. "The looks on your faces say more than words ever could. Congratulations."

"Thank you for everything doctor." Livy smiled back at him and waited for Ray to join her and the walked out of the doctor's office. Neither said a word until they got outside and he opened the passenger door for her. She didn't get in as he expected her to do and he wondered why. "Ray, I want to get married."

He was a little perplexed at her request because he was there the day that the Reverend Case married them. "Livy."

She laughed because she seemed to understand how it sounded. "We're already married, I know that. But when Reverend Case married us last year it wasn't because we loved each other and wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. It was because of a circumstance that I never should have found myself in. What I want to do now is repeat the vows we made because it would be different this time. I would be making vows to you because I loved you, not because I was compelled to."

"In the eyes of God we're married." He wasn't sure why she wanted this. It wasn't as though their marriage wasn't valid just because they hadn't been in love when they made their vows. His pastor had solemnized it and as far as anyone knew, or cared Danny was theirs. "That's all that matters."

"But it matters to _me_ Ray. You are my husband and I love you but I want a real wedding with your family and mine there and everyone in Wilson if they want to come. I want to walk down the aisle of our church on my father's arm and if he chooses not to come then Hank's, if he'll do it. It didn't feel like a wedding the first time because it a sense it wasn't."

It didn't matter to him one way or another but from the earnest look on her face, he could see that it mattered a lot to Livy. And if having a second wedding would make her happy then he would do it. He would do anything to make her happy. "I'll have to get a suit."

"You'll do it?"

He smiled at her and shrugged his shoulders. "If our having a another ceremony with our families and our friends there to witness it means that much to you, who am I to say no?"

She leaned up and kissed his cheek. "You are a wonderful man."

He smiled back at her and bounced Danny in his arms. "Tell me that again in about seven months when you're getting ready to have that one there." He glanced at her still slim form.

She looked down and stifled a laugh. "I really shouldn't laugh at this but it just occurred to me that we'll be having another wedding ceremony and I'll be expecting."

"Liv." He didn't see the humor in it and frowned. "It isn't something to laugh at."

She nodded. "I know that, it just seemed a little ironic and that struck me as funny."

Ray hadn't looked at it that way and shook his head in reluctant amusement. "It _is_ ironic, isn't it? We could wait until after you have the baby if you want."

Livy shook her head. "Don't ask me to explain it because I don't think I could. But I want, I _need_ to have a ceremony before our baby comes."

He nodded as Livy sat down in the truck and Ray handed Danny to her. "Do you want the reception at the house?"

"No, I don't think so. I can't imagine having a reception without dancing and our parlor is much too small for that. But if we could have the Friendship Hall, there would be enough room for everyone."

He smiled at her as he closed the door with a firm push. "How about I ask Slim to play? You seemed to like him at Martha's party."

"I'd like that Ray, I really would."

He walked around to the driver's side and got in. Just before he turned the key in the ignition he glanced at Olivia. "Let's stop by and see him then before we go home. Do you have a date in mind yet?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "I hadn't given too much thought about an actual date. I want there to be enough time for my family to get here, but not so much time that I'm showing."

He thought about it for a moment. "Let's say three weeks from this Saturday. That will give us more than enough time to tell Martha and Hank, for you to call your family and to get a reception planned. Martha would be tickled pink if she could help."

"We'll have to include Ruth, too. She would be really hurt if we didn't make her a part of this." She added.

Ray nodded his acknowledgement. "We should go talk to the Reverend and make sure his schedule is clear. This _is_ kind of a short notice."

"I know it is, but I'm sure he'll be glad to do this for us."

"I'm sure he will Liv, I'm sure he will." Ray agreed as he pulled away from the curb and headed toward Reverend Case's home to talk about a wedding.


End file.
